Car-door-actuating mechanism.



S. OTIS.

CAR DOOR ACTUATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, I9I4.

I Patented J 11118 6, 191.6.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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CAR DOOR ACTUATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1914.

Patented June 6, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R o s) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SPENCER OTIs, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB To NATIONAL DUMP CAR COMPANY,

' A CORPORATION or MAINE.

GAR-DOOR-ACTUATING MECHANISM.

Specification of letters Patent.

Application filed July 6, 1914. Serial No. 849,256.

eration and especially adapted for use with dump doors or the like.

The main object of my invention consists in providing a dump door operating mechanism comprising a pair of pivotally connected arms, one of said arms being aflixed to a 'rotatable operating shaft in such wise that rotation of the latter through the medium of the attached arm will effect a closing of the door; also I construct and arrange means associated with the attached arm which will operate in such wise that the load of the doors will be transferred from the comparatively long attached arm to a shorter arm effecting final closing movement of the door. I further provide means which will render this final closing movement more easy as the load is transferred to the short arm. In addition to effecting the final closing movement the short arm serves to directly support and transfer the load of and carried by the doors to the operating shaft. These and other objects will be more fully set forth below and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a car showing my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a detail transverse section showing a door in closed position; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a door in open position; Fig. 4 is a detail of means for rotating the shaft; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a portion of my improved mechanism; and Fig. 6 is a detail partially in section of the supporting roller.

Like numerals refer to like elements throughout the drawings, in which 10 indicates generally a car having the side walls 11 which are attached to the side stakes 12, see Fig. 1. Secured by holts or the like to the side stakes 12, near the bottom of i the car, are the bearing members 13 in which are rotatably mounted the collars 14 attached to the shaft 15. The latter is pref erably of non-circular cross section, the collars 14 being provided with apertures and attached to snugly fit the shaft 15 atthe same tlme being constructed with a circular periphery to provide arotatable supportin the bearing members 13 for the shaft 15. Fltted upon the latter are the arms 16 each formed of a pair of strips 16 spaced apart at the top by pins 16, and intermediate their extremities 1s carried a roller 17 mounted upon the pin 17 extending between sald strips 16*, see Fig. 5, for example. These arms 16 are provided with the suitably apertured lower extremities to closely fit the non-circular shaft 15 so as to rotate therewith. The car 10 is provided with the dump doors 10 in the bottom thereof, these doors, in the form shown, being hinged along the1r inner edges and provided with angles 10 adjacent their outer edges. Adjacent each of the front corners of the doors 10 are provided what I term bracket members 18 comprising flanged members extending downwardly and outwardly from the doors 10 provided with the slotted lower extremities 18 These brackets 18 are pro- Patented J une 6, 1916.

vided with the base flange 18 attached by rivets or the like to the door 10 as shown in Fig. 3, for example.

The top of brackets 18 is depressed, as in dicated by numeral 18, an amount sufficient to provide for the seating of one flange of angles 20 extending along the sides of the doors 10, as shown in Fig. 5; for example. A rod or shaft 21 is provided, extending longitudinally of the car and normally fitting in the slots or seats 18 of brackets 18, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, for example. Carried by this rod 21 are the arms 22 of peculiar construction, as shown in Fig. 3. These arms are cut away or bent at 22 to provide a shoulder 22 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. At their upper ends the arms 22 are slotted, as indicated by numeral 22 and pins 16 extend through these slots 22 providing a pivotal connection between the arms 16 and 22, the latter being preferably located between the strips 16, the slot 22 permitting a certain amount of sliding of arm 22 relative toarm 16, as will be more fully described.

In the operation of my device it will be apparent that when the shaft 15 is rotated in the proper direction, the arm 16 composed of the spaced apart strips 16 will be rotated, and by means of its pivotal attachment to arm 22 will operate to raise the rod 21 and thereby raise door 10 toward closing position. As the door 10 approaches its closed position and prior to. reaching the same the shoulder 22 of arm 22 will contact with roller 17 and further movement will cause this shoulder to ride upon roller 17, the latter reducing the friction which would ordinarily exist were sliding contact present. During the final closing movement the load of the car door and the like is directly carried upon a portion of arm 16, the same being between the stud 17 and shaft 15, constituting in effect a short arm. It will be apparent that in thus supporting the load during the final closing movement of the door considerable less torque need be applied to shaft 15, and the closing of the doors may be more easily efiected; also the load of the doors and upon the doors when in closed position. will be transmitted through roller 17 and pin 1'? through the short armportion of arm 16 to the shaft 15.

To insure against accidental displacement from closed position, the center of support of arm 22 on. roller 17 is oifset vertically with respect to the center of shaft 15, this ofi'setting being, in the form shown, toward the center of the car. In this position the arms 16 and 22 are in contact with the side walls 11 of the car, the latter serving as a stop for the closing movement of said arms. It will be apparent that this ofifset support will operate to prevent accidental displace .ment of the operating mechanism and unloading of the car.

To provide for rotation ofthe shaft 15, I

- provide a simple mechanism shown in Figs.

1 and 4:, for example. A star or ratchet wheel 30 is located adjacent the end of the shaft 15 and attached thereto. Rotatably mounted on the collar 31, which is adjacent the star wheelT-SO, is the socket 32 having the ring or collar portion 32 rotatably mounted, as stated above, on collar 31. A pawl 33 is pivotally attached to the socket 32 and is adapted to engage the star wheel 30 to rotate the same in the proper direction when the socket .32 is oscillated by means of a. lever or the like placed therein. A dog or pawl 34, a portion of which is shown in Fig. 4, is provided to prevent re-rotation of the shaft 15 when the same has been operated to move the door to closing position.

It is believed that the description above is sufiiciently clear to enable those skilled. in the art to understand the operation and. construction of my invention. It is obvious that my invention is susceptible of many modifications and changes, and I do not wish to be restricted to the form shown and ineaiae upon said shaft to rotate therewith in a direction to close the door, and means to support the door in closed position, said first arm being offset to extend around the shaft and meanspand having a shoulder to rest upon said means when swung into doorclosing position by said second arm.

2. In combination with a car having a dump door, a rotatable shaft, arms open atively connecting said shaft and said door, means to rotate said shaft to close said door through the medium of said arms, and means to support said door in closed position, said means being carried by one of said arms intermediate of its ends and en gaged by the other arm.

3. In combination with a car having a dump door, a rotatable shaft, arms open atively connecting said shaft and said door,

means to rotate said shaft to close said door through the medium of said arms, and means to support said door in closed position, said means being carried by one of said arms intermediate of its ends and coacting with another of said arms.

d. In combination with a car having a dump door, ashaft, an arm attached to said shaft,'a second arm operatively attached to said door, said arms being pivotally connected whereby rotation of said shaft will operate to close said door, and a supporting member carried by one of said arms intermediate of its ends, the other of said arms being arranged to coact with said member to support said door in closed position.

5. In combination with a car having a dump door, a shaft, an arm attached to said shaft, 2. second arm operatively attached. to-

said door, said arms being pivotally connected whereby rotation of said shaft will operate to close said door, and. a supporting member located intermediate of the ends of said arms when the door is closed, one of said arms being arranged to coact with said member to support said door in closed position, the center of support of said arm being ofiset vertically with respect to said shaft.

6. In combination with a car having a dump door, a shaft, an arm attached to said shaft, a second arm operatively attached to said door, said arms being pivotally connected whereby rotation of said shaft will operate to close said door; and a supporting: member, one of said arms being arrangedto coact with said member to support said door in closed position, said second named its arm having a portion adapted to fit over said member to support said door in closed position.

7. In combination with a car having a dump door, a shaft, an arm attached to said shaft, a second arm operatively attached to said door, said arms being pivotally connected whereby rotation of said shaft will operate to close said door, and a supporting roller located intermediate of the ends of said arm when the door is closed, one of said arms being arranged to coact with said roller to support said door in closed position.

8. In combination -with a car having a dump door, a shaft, an arm attached to said shaft, a second arm operatively attached to said door, said arms being pivotally connected whereby rotation of said shaft will operate to close said door, and a supporting roller located intermediate of the ends of said arms when the door is closed, one of said arms having a shoulder adapted'to rest on and be supported by said roller.

9. In combination with a car having a dump door, a shaft, an arm attached to said shaft, 'a second arm operatively attached to said door, said arms being pivotally connected whereby rotation of said shaft will' operate to close said door, and a supporting roller carried by'one of said arms, one of said arms being arranged to coact with said roller to support said door in closed position.

10. In combination with a. car having a dump door, a rotatable shaft, an arm secured to said shaft, said arm comprising spaced apart strips or the like, a supportand arms operatively connecting said shaft and rod whereby rotation .of said shaft will operate to close said door.

12. In combination with a car having a plurality of dump doors, a rotatable shaft, brackets secured to said doors, a rod engaging said brackets, and arms operatively connecting said shaft with said rod where by proper rotation of the former will oper ate to close said doors.

13. In combination with a car having a plurality of dump doors, brackets depending from said dump doors and provided with slotted portions, a rod extending between and fitting in the slotted portions of said brackets, arms attached to said rod, a shaft, and arms attached to said shaft, said arms being pivotally connected.

In testimony, whereof, I have subscribed my name.

SPENCER- OTIS.

Witnesses:

C. E. JORGENSEN, E. E. SLATER. 

